The present invention relates generally to improvements in internal combustion engines and it relates particularly to an improved internal combustion compound engine.
The conventional internal combustion engine, whether of the compression ignition or Diesel type, or of the spark ignition type, possesses the disadvantage of being of low efficiency. One of the principal sources of this inefficiency resides in the high energy losses consequent to the exhaust from the engine into the atmosphere of large volumes of hot high pressure gases resulting in the wasteful dissipation of the energy contained in these gases. Many systems and expedients have been heretofore proposed or employed using internal combustion engine exhaust gases as an energy device, but these have accomplished little or nothing in improving the engine efficiency. For example, the internal combustion engine exhaust gases have been used to drive a turbocharger to deliver high volumes of air to the engine in response to increased power demands. While such exhaust gas-driven turbocharging systems have increased the power output of the engine, when required, there is either a drop or no significant increase in the engine efficiency. Additionally, other known systems employing the energy content of positive displacement internal combustion engine exhaust have been accompanied by many drawbacks and leave much to be desired.